Little sister's help
by The Writer Forever
Summary: This is set four months after Tess came back to Drovers Run. And Tess and Alex aren't together, never were and never will be!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so here it is - my new C&A story! This is set four months after Tess came back to Drovers Run. And Tess and Alex arent together, never were and never will be!**

I hope that you will like this story and that I wont start to be boring with my stories about Claire and Alex! Sorry, I am just addicted to them! It will be a little about Tess and Nick maybe, but mainly its about Claire and Alex!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of McLeods daughters characters.

Chapter 1: Sisters back together 

It was already four months since Tess came back to Drovers Run. Claire already got used to have her little sister around and she realized that she likes to have her around. Tess was a chatter, happy and nice person; when she would laugh, Claire couldnt suppress smile on her lips cause it was the most warm smile she had ever heard.

Tess was full of crazy ideas, little eccentric, but Claire discovered that she adoresthose things at her sister. She was soooo happy that she was back!

Very soon Tess got friendly with everybody on the property and rode away to neighbouring properties to meet people who live near her. Claire found it funny. 

"Really, Tess, dont ya think that it would be much more easier if we made a barbecue?", asked Claire through laugh one day while they were mustering sheeps.

Tess shrugged and replied with warm smile on her lips:

"Aw, this way I got to know Oscar much better!"

Claire laughed with Tess following her into it.

Car passed by the fence.

"Oi, McLeod! Who would think that you have such a nice sister - with manners and all!"

Tess turned around to see who is yelling those words and she recognized their first neighbour Alex Ryan.

"Oh, ha - ha, Ryan, get someone to tickle me so I can laugh if yout hought that was supposed to be funny!", Claire shooted back, continuing with her work.

Tess smiled and greeted Alex:

"Hey, Alex!"

He greeted back driving away:

"Hey, Tess! Dont worry, McLeod can be nasty some time, but she has golden heart", with those words Alex drove away.

"Youll show you butt here very soon, Ryan, and may God help ya than!", laughed Claire, shaking her head "Crazy Alex!", she said to herself.

Tess turned back to her sister, noticing her huge smile. Tess raised one eyebrow.

"Whats up between you and Alex?", asked Tess.

Tess watched how Claires cheeks flushed as she replied:

"Nothing. Weve been mates ever since I can remember. Hes a good friend", Claire quickly replied. 

'Friend. Right.", thought Tess and than asked "So, do you always have such nice talks like this one?"

Claire cracked up from laughing.

"Yeah, we usually do", she replied and rode off.

Tess watched her riding away, than gazed to the road.

"Right", she murmured. After a moment she clicked her tongue "Come on, Oscar", she said and followed Claire.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Pool game**

Claire and Tess were in the pub having great talk and lots of laugh. They enjoyed in spending time together, it was like they both wanted to catch up all those years that they were separated.

"Wanna play pool?", asked Tess. Claire nodded.

"Sure."

They took their drinks to the pool table. Tess was preparing table for the game when Nick came toward two of them. Claire greeted him:

"Hey, Nick! Are ya up for one game?"

Nick nodded, replying: 

"Sure, why not. Hello, Tess!"

"Hi, Nick, she replied too quietly that it caught Claires ear. She looked to her sister and suppress little smile.

To change a subject, Claire asked Nick:

"So, how are things back at Killarney?"

Nick smiled:

"Aw, ya know Harry - more work, less talk."

"That must be hard for Alex, Claire laughed.

"What is hard for me?", they heard Alexs voice.

Claire teased him:

"To stay quiet under Harrys control!"

"Ha - ha, McLeod!", was Alexs sarcastic reply. Claire smirked, throwing pool - stick to him.

"So, Ryan, ready to loose?", she laughed.

Nick came closer to Tess and quietly suggested: 

"Listen, Tess, we should team up and play against them. Its much more easier to loose than to allow them to play against each other cause if we give them that chance, nobody else will be able to play pool in this century!"

Tess suppress her smile and nodded to Nick.

"Hey, guys! Nick and me will play against two of you!", Tess announced.

"Yeah, it will be much more interesting without two of you fighting all the time!", laughed nIck.

"Who, Alex and me!", Claire pretended to be surprised "We never fight, dont we, Alex?"

"Damn right we dont!", Alex accepted a joke and opened a game.

From the start, Claire and Alex teamed up and were in the lead.

"Right, Alex, nice and slow", Claire said, earning herself a look 'gimme a break - will ya - McLeod' look from laugh. She laughed "Just sent damn black ball to the right hole."

"I know what Im doing, Claire. trust me a little, will ya?", he pleaded. Cl;aire suppress her smile.

"Righto", she replied "Give it a shoot."

Alex concentrated a little and kicked a ball. WHAM! - and the black ball went directly to the right hole! 

"Hahaha, YES!", exclaimed Claire giving 'gimme five' to Alex "Nice one, Alex!", she laughed.

"Thank ya, McLeod!", Alex replied, making a bow.

"One more game?", asked Tess. She just started to notice something and she needed more time to study it.

"All right", Alex accepted "But, lets make a bet - who looses, buys drinks for everybody."

"Youre on", Tess replied.

"So, lets get to it", said Claire, starting to prepare table for new game.

Tess watched carefully at her sister and Alex. They had great time with each other joking and laughing all the time. Tess noticed how Claires eyes glittered in special way this evening, and it wasnt because of winning her and Nick in the pool game. She also noticed Alex fussing around Claireand those long looks that she got from him when she wasnt looking.

_What was going on here, _Tess wondered.

As Claire kicked the last shoot and sent black ball to the right hole, she exclaimed happily and her and Alex hugged each other and he whirled her around.

In a moment they realized what were they doing and quickly let each other go. Claire turned to Nick and Tess.

"So, wheres that drink?", she asked, with nervous smile.

"Im on it", said Nick.

Sisters came home around 23:30. Tess noticed that smile was all the time glued on Claires face.

Claire headed toward the kitchen, saying:

"Id get us some ice cream. Want some, Tess?"

"Sure." 

Claire took two little bowls and two spoons a. She handed ice cream to Tess, asking:

"So, Tess, did ya had good time tonight?"

"Oh, yeah", Tess smiled.

"Good", said Claire, finishing her ice cream "Well, Im off for today. ' Night, Tess."

"Good night, Claire."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Shattered**

Seven days passed under the sky. They finished all main chores three days ago and Tess was getting excited, looking forward to some free days. She planned to go out with Claire and have a good time and, of course - try at least one more time to get Claire into dress.

Tess was chatting with Jodi in the kitchen while Meg was finishing lunch when suddenly doors slammed so loud and hard that they all screamed and jumped.

In next moment Tess noticed her sister rushing through the hallway and ran upstairs without even looking to them.

"Claire!", Tess rushed to follow her, but Meg grabbed her hand, stopping her. Tess looked surprisingly to Meg.

"Meg!", Tess exclaimed, trying to free herself, but Meg held her tight, shaking her head slowly.

"Theres no use, Tess."

"Meg, shes obviously upset about something, I have to be there for her!", Tess was desperate.

"Let her go, Tess. She needs some time alone to cry..."

"Cry! Why does she has to cry!", Tess panicked.

"You wont get anything out from her now, Tess. This is the way that she deals with that", said Meg, exchanging glances with Jodi, confusing Tess even more. 

Tess looked to Jodi and when Jodi kept silent, drinking her coffee,Tess got really worried.

"It must be something serious when youre not telling anything, Jodes. What is it? With what does she has to deal?", asked Tess.

But before they could replied, they noticed Claire coming downstairs just when phone rang and Tess answered:

"Drovers Run. Oh, hi, Alex!", said Tess "Fine, you? Yeah she is here. Claire, phone call for you. Its Alex."

Without even looking at her sister, Claire exclaimed:

"Tell him to go to hell!", she ran outside, calling for Roy.

Tess was holding phone, totally speechless. She got even more confused when she didnt saw surprise on Megs and Jodis faces.

Than she remembered that Alex is still on the phone. Praying to God that he didnt heard Claire, Tess answered the phone one more time.

"Umm, sorry, Alex, she cant answer the phone right now. Ill let her know that you called. Okay. Bye!"

Tess hanged up the phone and turned to Meg and Jodi.

"All right. Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Go, Nick!**

Alex hanged up the phone, totally confused. Nick was watching football, trying not to comment.

Alex sighed in frustration:

"I don' t get her - one month we are great friends, next month she is just yelling at me."

Nick played with remote trying really hard not to roll his eyes, comment on the subject or yell at Alex.

Alex got up and took a beer from the fridge.

"Want one?", he asked Nick. 

"Nah, thanks."

Alex came back to the couch and sat beside his brother.

"Maybe it's those woman days, Nick, what do ya think?", Alex took a sip of beer.

That was it for Nick - he couldn't stand it anymore!

"Oh, for crying out loud, Al! Are ya blind or something?"

Alex frowned, looking surprisingly to his younger brother.

"What's got into you?", asked Alex.

"Think about it! When exactly does Claire freaks out?", asked Nick, trying to make Alex realize something on his own _'Though I doubt that he has enough brain for it! '_, thought Nick.

Alex looked even more confused.

"What are ya talking about! How could I know!"

"Think, Alex! What changes in your life every time Claire freaks out?"?

Alex concentrated and started to think. _He still has old horse, old car, old motorbike, old friends, old places for going out, new girlfriend, old hobbies, old work..._

' Wait a minute! ' , Alex's mind stopped and went back a bit. He looked to Nick, totally stunned.

"Nick, you can't think..."

Nick raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, Nick, it's stupid! Just because I have feelings for Claire , doesn't mean that she has them for me! We both know that she doesn't look at me that way!"

"Do we?", asked Nick "Alex, she freaks out every time you have new girlfriend!" 

Alex was stucked for the couch, completely stunned.

"Nick, you know that those relationships mean nothing to me! It's just the way that I'm trying to distract myself...from...from Claire", he finished in whisper.

Nick just wanted to reply and in that moment they heard Claire's voice:

"Nick? Nick, are ya home? I need to borrow your axe!"

Nick looked to Alex. 

"Now is your chance. Go!", Nick encouraged his brother.

Claire mounted down from Brave J, looking around. 

"Nick?", she called.

Doors of the house opened and Alex came out.

"Aw, great!"; Claire grumbled. She instantly went back in the saddle.

"Claire..." 

"Just leave me alone, Alex", she said, turning Brave J away from him "I'll come back later."

"Claire, wait! We need to talk", Alex tried again.

Claire looked at him, fire and pain shooting from her eyes.

"We have nothing to talk about, Alex. Leave me alone", and with those words she rode away. _What the hell was he doing at Wilgul anyway!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Tess thoughts**

Claire rode back from Wilgul and Meg and Tess wanted to ask her about the axe that she didn't brought with herself.

But, before, they could even opent their mouths, Claire raised her hand and shortly said:

„Don't", and with that, she wnet in the stable and rode off few seconds later, with Roy following her.

Tess still didn't get anything out from Meg and Jodi, and that made her sooo frustrated! However, she knew that she won't get out anything from Claire either.

Tess walked behind the house. _'Maybe talk with Alex would help?'_, Tess shook her head at that thought, imagining what would happen if Claire find out that she asked Alex what's wrong with her. _'Oh, she would definetely kill me!',_ thought Tess.

She walked down the field, her hands in her pockets. She hated to be so helpless. There must be something she could do, someone she could talk to about it.

Tess stood still for a moment and gazed to a fence that bordered Drovers Run and Wilgul. She blinked few times as thought came to her mind. _'Nick.'_

Tess felt heat arise in her cheeks. There was something about Nick that made her heart goes baboom-baboom.

Tess shook her head. _'Concentrate, girl! This is not a time to think about Nick Ryan!', she paced by the fence, nervous as a hell. 'Claire is priority now. Alex would be a good choice for talk 'cause he knows Claire since childhood, they are best friends...',_ she groaned slightly as her mind worked up. _'Yeah, but the thing is that I think that Alex IS a problem! Hmmm...That leaves Nick as an option'_, Tess cursed under her breath. _'Damn it, Theresa Charlotte, stop thinking about him! Claire must have more friends...'_

She looked up toward Wilgul.

_'Aw, what a heck! It's for Claire's sake and peace in our house!'_

With those words, Tess went over fence and started to walk toward the house. 

Nick was taking empty beer bottles to the trash when he heard someone knocking at doors.

Alex just left 15 minutes ago, so Nick didn't had a clue who could it be. Claire won't be here for another week. _'She would rather send Roy with message than risk to bump to Alex again', _he thought, smiling to himself as he opened the doors.

He watched her for a second, speechless and surprised.

„Tess", he breathed. 

She nodded.

„Hi, Nick."

He opened doors. 

„Come in".

„Thank you", she entered the house, feeling nervous. _'Calm down, girl. Remember, you're here for Claire!',_ she thought and turned to Nick.

„Wanna drink something?", Nick asked her.

„Yeah, juice would be nice."

He nodded, heading to the kitchen.

Tess knew that she has to work fast before she stays too long and says something she shouldn't.

„Nick, umm...I need to talk to you."

Nick gave her juice and asked:

„About what?"

Tess took glass from him, smiling nervously. 

„Thanks...Well, you know Claire long, longer than me. Ever since she was born actually", rambled Tess.

„Well, not quite. She's two years older than me", he smiled.

That was the ice – breaker for Tess. She laughed:

„Yeah, you're right. Anyway, have ya noticed anything strange lately?" 

Nick looked quizzically at her.

„What exactly are you asking me, Tess?"

Tess took a deep breath. _'All right, here it goes!'_, she thought and asked:

„Nick, is there something going on between her and Alex? And, please, don't tell her that I've asked ya this, she would kill me?

Nick nodded, smiling.

„No worries, I won't. But, you better sit down 'cause it will take a while. It's a long story." 

Tess sat down on the couch and listened to Nick as he started to talk.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Nightgown**

Tess was in the bathroom brushing her teeth when Claire stormed inside in her trousers and white T-shirt. She was dirty as a hell which proved to Tess that whole this Alex – thing was really serious 'cause Claire worked as a hell today. That's why she got so dirty. But, today, however, it work didn't helped. She was still upset.

Claire put her hair up, grumbling:

„I need a shower."

Tess washed out her mouth with water and said:

„I'm done."

She was about to leave the bathroom, when Claire called her:

„Tess?"

Tess turned around.

„What?"

Claire hesitated for a moment. Tess could tell that something was eating her.

She came toward Claire and they both sat on a tub. Tess put palm on Claire's shoulder, looking at her.

Finally, Claire spoke: 

„Tess, do ya...do ya think that I'm boring?", she asked so quietly that Tess barely heard her. But, she did heard her and her eyes widened.

„Claire, what on Earth are ya talking about!"

Claire held her towel on her lap and stared to it. 

„Well...ya know – am I too out of the picture? Too boyish?"

Tess grimaced:

„Claire, you're beautiful!", she raised her eyebrows „Though change of image would help – some nice short skirt..."

„Aw, gee!", laughed Claire, getting up and pulling Tess on her feet as well. 

„Get out!", laughed Claire and gently pushed her sister out of the bathroom and slammed the doors, but not before Tess blabbled:

„I have beautiful black nightgown for you! Short, satin and with a bit of lace!"

Claire shook her head and smiled, stepping into the shower.

After 15 minutes she took a towel and than she realised that she forgot her PJ's in her room. 

Wrapping the towel around herself, she opened the doors to find short satin black nightgown on the knob. She laughed, taking it. She put it on and looked herself at the mirror.

_'This is ridicilous!'_, she thought and was about to go get her PJ's when she heard Tess screaming from the top of her lungs!

Claire ran out of the bathroom and rushed to Tess's room.

„Tess? Tess, what is it?", she asked scared and got even more frightened when she saw Tess shaking under the covers. She pulled them over her head and pleaded:

„Claire, kill it, please!"

Claire frowned.

„Kill what?"

„The bug! Aaargh, it's digusting!"

Claire cracked up from laughter noticing moth on the wall.

She took her slipper off her foot and went towad the wall.

With one kick, moth was dead.

„Is it dead?", Claire heard question under the covers and couldn't resist to tease her sister a bit:

„OH MY GOD, TESS! HE'S COMING RIGHT AFTER YA!"

Tess screamed and shook whole bed as she jumped and wawed with her hands. Claire laughed like crazy. 

„Gotcha!", smiled Claire. Her little sister adapted very good on living on farm, but she still had some city – girl things. One of those was panicking about bugs.

Tess threw pillow on her sister.

„This isn't funny, Claire, than an idea came up in her mind as she preteneded to be upset „You and Alex are the same! He scared me as a hell with some snail few days ago, yuck, he put it on my shoulder!"

That sent Claire to bits of laughter.

„Good night, Tess."

She went out the room and went toward her room when she remembered that she forgot to give dinner to Roy.

She went downstairs, forgetting that she still has nightgown on.

Claire took some dog – food and went toward Roy's little house. She put food in his plate, patted him gently and said:

„There you are, boy. Sorry, I forgot to give ya dinner, I was upset about something."

She watched Roy for a while and than went toward house.

She rounded the corner and bumped to someone! And just as she was about to scream from fright, she recognized Alex!

When he bumped to her, Alex knew that she was scared, so he quickly said:

„Claire, Claire, it's just me!"

Claire breathed:

„Jesus, Ryan, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

It was than that Claire noticed how he looked at her and she remembered – she was still wearing Tess's nightgown!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Kiss at last!**

_'Crap! Now he will tease me till the end of my life!'_, thought Claire.

She was afraid of what will Alex say, so she decided to beat him to it:

„So, what brings ya here, Ryan?", she asked.

Alex barely found his voice again. Seeing Claire like this was... _'Dear God! She looks amazing!', _he thought.

Then he realized that she asked him something.

„What? Oh, yeah, umm...I brought that axe you needed", he gave her axe, leaving her completely speechless.

Claire looked at him, creasing her eyebrows: 

„You brought axe to me in this hour?", asked Claire stunned, regarding that it was 22:45 allready.

„Yeah, well, I was on my way back from pub and axe was in my car."

Claire felt sharp pain in her heart. _'Of course, he was out with his girlfriend.'_

„Right. You were at the pub", she took axe from Alex „Thanks. How was it in pub?"

Alex watched her carefully. Was that pain running across her face?

„It was englihting", he said.

Claire looked at him quizzically. 

„Englihting?", she creased her eyebrows.

„Yeah", said Alex, falling silent for a moment.

Than he looked at Claire again and said, looking her directly in the eyes „I broke up with Melinda."

Claire felt her heart stopped, than started to race.

She tried to keep up her peace and she swallowed hard before saying:

„Wow, that was quick. You have new record", she said, without thinking.

Alex frowned: 

„What's that suppossed to mean?"

„That you can't be in one relationship more than four days", said Claire and she find herself shocked to hear herself saying such things! 

„How would you know, Claire!", asked Alex, getting upset. _'How could she judge him when it was only her fault for him becoming a playboy!',_ he thought.

Claire looked at him, frustration and hurt were so obvious in her eyes.

„I happen to know much more about love than you, Alex!"

„Yeah, right!", laughed Alex, trying to hide his pain „How could you when you are single!"

Claire felt anger rise inside her and before she could think, she blurted out:

„Love isn't about having new relationships every week, Alex! Love is when you can think only about one person 24 hours per day and all you want is to be with that person", Claire said quietly. She looked directly in his eyes and than shook her head „I don't know why I'm having this conversation with you. You don't even care", she said and started to walk away.

And that's when she felt Alex's arm grabbing her wrist. Before she could even think about what's going on, she felt him pushing her gently, but quickly against the wall and with the sentence „Wanna bet, McLeod?", he placed both her hands on the wall and covered her lips with his lips!

It was gentle kiss at first, but when she didn't pushed him away, Alex deepened the kiss causing Claire to moan softly. That was when all his hidden feelings for her, all his hidden love for her came up on the surface and he let her hands off and hugged her around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Claire couldn't believe that this was really happening! As Alex's lips travelled down her neck, she caressed his shoulders and pulled him back to meet his lips again.

They were both breathless and Alex whispered:

„I love you, Claire..."

„I love you, too, Alex...", she whispered back and kissed him passionately.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Wallet**

Claire found it hard to resist to Alex, but she was aware that house was close and Tess was probably sleeping with one eye open.

She tried to catch a breath, but she couldnt fight against her love for Alex...He drove her crazy, he woke feelings inside her that she didnt even know they exist. 

"Alex", she whispered, but only reply she got was him kissing her more lovingly "Alex, we cant stay here", she tried to stop the kiss, but failed miserably cause she couldnt get enough of his kisses "Alex, someone could see us", she whispered, looking at his eyes.

He cupped her face in his palms and whispered:

"I want you, Claire...", and with those words, he kissed her again.

Claire felt passion overcome her mind and she kissed him back, pushing the doors of the stable and leading Alex inside.

He laid her down on the hay and gazed to her, taking away one strand of her silky brown hair behind her ear. Claire put her palm on his cheek and kissed him passionatelly on his lips, wrapping her arms around his shoulders... 

Purple, blue and orange colours started to play on the sky as the sun was showing up slowly.

"Go", whispered Claire, leaning on the car doors and looking at Alex.

He smiled at her and kissed her.

"Righto, Im gone", he said and they exchanged places, so Alex could open the doors of the car. They looked to each other and joined their lips one more time.

Claire barely get her breath back.

"Geez, Ryan, never took you so long to go away from Drovers before", she teased him.

"Well, you never wore anything like this while I was around before", he teased her backand they smiled, joining their lips in one more kiss.

When the kiss broke, Alex leaned his forehead on Claires forehead as they both closed eyes, savouring the moment.

Claire looked up to his beautiful eyes and kissed him passionatelly, and Alex pulled her closer to him immediatelly.

After ten minutes, Claire pulled away and smiled:

"Go", she said and with that, she turned and started to walk toward the house.

Alex sat in his car and leaned into the seat, closing his eyes for a second.

_God, I love her sooo much!_, he thought and looked to Claire just at the moment she turned around.

They smiled to each other and Claire went back to the house and Alex drove away.

Humming a song, Claire went to the kitchen. She put water for coffee to boil and took eggs out of the fridge. She looked at them, remembering Tina - caserole disaster and giving up on baking them. Instead, she took some salam, cheese and toast and started to make herself a sandwich. 

It was than when Meg entered the kitchen. First her eyes widened when she saw Claire in that nightgown, and when Claire smiled saying "Morning, Meg! Slept well?", Megs mouth went wide open! Everybody knew that Claire was the most grumpy person in the morning, so this change shocked Meg.

"I thought that I heard car down the driveway", said Meg, trying to figure out what was going on.

Claires eyes widened just for a second, but she quickly picked herself together and taking a bite of a sandwich, she said:

"Nah, I didnt heard anything. Must be your dream."

Meg watched carefully as Claire took a seat beside her and ate her sandwich. Her face was glowing, her eyes were sparkling...Meg looked more carefully; was that hay in Claires hair?

In that moment Tess showed up at the kitchen door, yawning:

"Good morning, everybody", she said. 

"Morning", both Claire and Meg replied.

Tess dragged herself toward the sink. She poured herself glass of water and as she started to drink, she turned around and her eyes stopped at her sister.

Tess coughed, water stopped in her throat. 

Claire creased her eyebrows.

"Tess? Whats wrong?", as Tess continued to stare at her, Claire asked annoyed "Why are ya looking at me like that?"

Tess pulled hay out of Claires hair.

"Where did you got this?", Tess asked her. But, before Claire could reply, Tess noticed something else and asked stunned:

"How did ya manage to tear my nightgown for one night!", she pointed to one little part of nightgown that was tore apart and watched as blood rushed to Claires cheeks.

"Sorry, Tess, I fell in the stable", she quickly found an excuse and added quickly "Probably some wood tore it a bit."

"What were ya doing in the stable!", Tess asked.

"Look, it was extremely hot in my room so I slept in the stable, its much more colder there." 

"What! You slepy in MY nightgown in the stable!", Tess freaked out.

Claire rolled her eyes.

"Ill buy you new one", she washed her hands and headed out of the kitchen saying "Gotta work to do."

Tess gazed after her and was about to ask Meg something when phone rang.

Tess got up and answered it:

"Drovers Run, Tess speaking." 

"Hey, Tess, its Nick."

"Hey, Nick! What happened taht you called this early?", she asked concerned. 

"Im sorry, Im just worried, Tess. Alex didnt came home yet, so I was wondering that maybe he is there."

"Nah, I didnt saw him."

"Wait, I heard his car pull up", said Nick and in that moment Tess saw Becky entering the kitchen and showing them wallet...that wallet was somehow familiar to Tess..._Where did I saw this one?_, wondered Tess.

That was when Becky said:

"Ive found Alexs wallet at the stable", she said, confused.

Tesss eyes widened. 

"Nick, Ill call ya later!", she said and hanging up the phone, she took wallet from Beckys hand and ran upstairs yelling:

"CLAAAIIIREEE!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Duckiej, thank you sooo much for R&R! I adore your story "Did I tell you?"**

**DrowningAngel83, I am sorry, but I dont have beta-reader. But I post my stories on other site and there are all signs "?, . and so on.**

**I dont have computer at home so I cant really suft much. I never do grammar mistakes with those " , but here I dont know how to deal with it. I save my chapters in Microsoft Word and those signs are there, but when I post it on site, its gone.**

**So, visit: if you still mind my grammar mistakes – well, sorry, I cant do anything about it. English isnt my first language.**

**Here is more of my story!**

**Chapter 9: Sister-time   
**

Claire heard her little sister yelling her name and creased her eyebrows wondering what the hell happened as she rushed out of her room. 

Tess just made her way upstairs and stopped in front of Claire, with her eyes widened, smiling, but completely breathless from rushing up the stairs.

"I wish you run like that when I call you for drenching", joked Claire and asked "So, whats so urgent? What happened?"

Tess took few breaths, her eyes sparkling and she asked:

"Claire...When was the last time you saw Alex?"

Claire frowned, praying to God that her cheeks dont go red.

"What the hell Alex has anything to do with you racing upstairs! I thought that stable is on fire or something!"

"Just answer my question, Claire", Tess insisted.

Claire rolled her eyes. 

"Yesterday at Wilgul when I went to borrow Nicks axe." 

"Which you didnt get."

"Whats your point, Tess?"

"Claire. When was the last time you saw Alex?"

"I told you. Yesterday at Wilgul." 

"Youre a liar, Claire McLeod", declared Tess making Claire dropped her mouth open and yell:

"TESS!" 

"You are. If youre not, than how do you explain this?", she picked up Alexs wallet in front of Claires nose "Sure was much more hot in the stable than in your room!", added Tess, breaking into laughter.

Claire couldnt hold it anymore and she bursted to laugh as well.

Tess jumped in her arms and embraced Claire tightly.

"I wanna hear EVEYTHING! Geez, Claire, you knocked down the biggest heartbreaker in Australia!" 

"Well, it probably wouldnt work out if it wasnt for your damn nightgown."

Tesss eyes widened and she screamed:

"OH, MY GOD, HE SAW YOU IN THAT NIGHTGOWN!", she laughed, adding "Its yours, I am giving it to ya!"

Claire shook her head smiling and headed downstairs.

"Why, thank you, Tess", she said with smile.

"Aw, dont mention it", she smiled back.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: Unexpected**

By the lunch time all women knew about Claire and Alex, thanks to Tess.

Claire decided to go to the town to pisk up some groceries. She needed to get away from all the questions and teasing at least for a while.

She walked from the store carrying bags and put them in the back of Drovers Ute. She had a funny feeling of somebody staring at her.

Claire turned around and saw Melinda. She was standing with her friend Samantha and they were talking quietly to each other, looking in Claires direction every now and than.

Claire felt uncomfortable. She knew what was this all about. Alex.

She put all things in the back of the Ute, wanting to go away from here as soon as possible. 

Melinda looked at Claire with hate. She still clearly remembered last night.  
_  
"Whyre you doing this, Alex?" _

"Im sorry, Melinda. It was mistake from the beginning. Im really sorry."

"Who is she?"

"What!" 

"Dont lie to me, Alex. At least I deserve to know a true."  


Melinda still remembered how he fell silent. It was all clear to her in a second.

_"Its Claire. Isnt it?"_

"Melinda..."

"Dont, Alex. Just, dont I dont wanna hear it."

Melinda stared at Claire. Samantha didnt liked the way Melinda looked at Claire.

When Claire got into Ute, Melinda said quietly: 

"Ill kill her."

Samantha grabbed her wrist.

"Melinda, calm down! Its not Claires fault!", Samantha tried to reason her friend, but without success. Melinda sat in the car and started an engine.

Samantha rushed to get into passengers seat, but it was too late. Melinda already drove away. 

"MELINDA, NOOO!", yelled Samantha. She put hands on head "OH, MY GOD! Oh, my God, I have to do something!", she looked around in panic and saw phone on the wall of the pub. Shaking like a leaf on the wind, Samantha ran toward it, with only one thought in her head.  
_  
'Alex. I need to warn Alex.'_

Claire was driving back home. She opened window to let fresh air inside the car as she turned radio on.

Song "Make you mine' from "The Corrs" played from the radio.

__

Wandering, waiting for the day to fade away   
So I can hold you  
Once again and chase the fears away  
Lie with me  
Show me how you feel  
I'm falling for you deeper everyday

But when the night turns over  
I'll lie with you   
When the morning wakes you  
I'm there by you  
When the daylight takes you  
I'll miss you  
'Til you come back home to me  
When I can make you mine, oh mine ... oh yeah

Wanting you  
Every waking moment I'm on fire I'm on fire / I'm on fire   
Always needing you  
I'm aching for you only, I'll never tire   
Promise me  
This is how we'll be  
I'm falling deeper everyday

But when the night turns over  
I lie with you   
When the morning wakes you  
I'm there by you  
When the daylight takes you  
I'll miss you  
'Til you come back home to me  
When you come back home to me

I'll break you  
I'll chase you  
You'll find that you can't stand to be away  
not for a day not for a day  
And when life defies you  
I'll be the soul you'll never go astray  
And you'll be mine, mine, mine, mine 

Lie with me, loose reality  
I'm falling deeper everyday   
So when the night turns over  
I'll lie with you  
When the morning wakes you  
I'm there for you  
When the daylight takes you  
I'll miss you  
'Til you come back home to me  
And I can make you mine  
When the night turns over  
I'll lie with you   
When the morning wakes you  
I'm there by you  
When the daylight takes you  
I'll miss you  
'Til you come back home to me  
And I can make you mine

Claire turned left on the road, smile breaking on her lips. She thought of Alex...she could still feel her lips burning from his kisses and her skin burning on every place that he caressed with his hands...

Suddenly, from nowhere, car showed up in front of her, breaking her out of her daydreaming. Claire agsped, hitting the breaks.

But, it was too late.

Drovers Ute crashed into the tree as the car dissapeared. Claire screamed and in next moment she felt her head falling on the steering wheel and she felt blood running down her cheek.

"Alex...", she whispered and than everything went black. She fell unconcious.

Ten steps away, Melinda stepped out of her car and smiled, looking at the smashed Drovers Ute.

"Goodbye, Claire McLeod", she said.


End file.
